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Friday, 17 October 2014

Motherhood, Rituals And Sacred Places

Rituals
are something you learn to appreciate when you became a parent. Rituals keep
babies and toddlers happy. Rituals make sure that parents don’t lose their
sanity.

I
am not going to write about the rituals involving my son. I will write about my
own ritual; about the one precious morning hour that I spend in my studio just
by myself. Every morning I wake up at 6 AM when everybody in the house is still
asleep. I am literally sneaking downstairs and being very careful not to wake
my boy. Did I mention already that we live in an old house with some nasty
squeaking stairs? So, I am tiptoeing my way down to my studio. I am not doing
any ceramics because I am still wearing my pyjamas. Sometimes I write down my
thoughts or sketch some new forms. Mostly I just sit and enjoy the
stillness of an empty and dark studio.

This
is the time when I get the most creative ideas. This one hour gives me the
necessary energy to go through the day. This way I can start my day as an
artist. If my boy is awake before me, I am immediately forced into mama-mode
and my day will probably be a mess.

On
the days when I don’t manage to be productive in my studio, this one hour makes
it up. Do not get me wrong: I love being a mother. I love everything about my
son and our life. It is just that once you become a mother you kind of lose
your own identity.

So
I can spend my days cleaning the mess, visiting playgrounds, cleaning the mess,
cooking fresh and healthy meals, cleaning the mess and talking about poop, as
long as I have my one precious hour a day as an artist.